There was a lot of interest in the last thread so I thought I would start a new one.

I go to school in San Diego and have been to Barona's once on a saturday night. I got on the waiting list for the 1-3 game but there was a ton of people ahead of me. Would be very interested in meeting up with other San Diego posters and players.

Anyone interested?
What games have people been playing?

I'll be in San Diego March 21 - 25 and was planning to play at Oceans 11, only because it seems to be in a nicer area than Barona, and it is a vacation. We'll stay in Carlsbad Sat. night, then in San Diego. I'll probably make the drive once or twice during the day to play, but have to be back in SD for dinner. Is it worth it? Would Barona be better during the day?

I hope more people chime in so I have more of an idea of what it will be like. I play 1/2NL or 1/3NL.

I wish there would be more discussion on Tournaments in SoCal cardrooms.

WSOP Circuit at Harrahs Rincon SD anyone?

WSOP Satty's? Playing Elsinore's ME satty on Sat. $200 BI, one optional RB, $10k starting chips, 30 min lvls. Going home with a $10k seat hopefully.

General donkaments?

I would never describe the area immediately surrounding Ocean's 11 as nice. While it's not as bad as the aras surrounding many of the Los Angeles card rooms, the area that Ocean's 11 is in would not be anywhere on my list of places to live.

Having said that, it's not so bad that I'm afraid whenever I go there!

Barona is a fantastic area. It is a resort with a hotel and a golf course. It's a true Vegas style casino as well. The downside? It's kind of in the middle of nowhere. it's not that bad to get to from San Diego but there's nothing else to do out there either. If you're on vacation, you may want to stay there a night (don't know costs) simply to save yourself a drive back to town late at night on a twisty two lane road.

Viejas is far more convenient to get to than Barona and I'd even say Sycuan is easier to get to as well. the action at Viejas is better than Sycuan and it is maybe comparable at the lower limits to Barona. Viejas and Sycuan both have a $100 max $1/$2 game whereas Barona's is only $60. viejas will also have several $1/$3 games going whereas Sycuan may not even have one running. Barona has them but I don't know how many is the norm. I don't paly higher so I can't offer anything to you about those games.

Personally, I'd stay away from Casino Pauma, Harrah's Rincon, and Valley View. there's nothing out that way and the games aren't always running. Valley View has all electronic tables. I've played at Pauma and harrah's once each adn went there again but there were no games running (early on a Friday evening but still.....).

Michael

$100 buy-in at 1/2? Ugh. For some reason I thought Oceans 11 or Barona had a 100bb buy-in for some of the lower NL games?

Any action anywhere during the day?

We were thinking Oceans 11 because the drive would be nicer (coast) and we could stay in Carlsbad -- only 8 miles away.

I might look into the others when I'm in San Diego, but according to Mapquest, which is often wrong, Barona and Oceans 11 are the closest at 40+ minutes. (We'll be staying kind of southwest downtown San Dieago -- Manchester Grand Hyatt.)

Just checked and Viehas is as close. Maybe I'll try there during the days. I'll call them to find buy-ins, etc.

it may very well be worth a trip to harrah's rincon (in valley center) during the time period you're in sd. the wsop circuit event starts on the 19th and the cash game action is hopping during the entire circuit event.

at O11, pretty much any time of day (except possibly between 5-8am) there will be a 2/2nl ($100max) or 2/3nl ($300max). there are also LHE games (3/6 -- 40/80) and O8 games (mostly 4/8) that run almost all the time.

the 5/5nl typically starts in the 10am-ish range (if the game isn't still going from the night before).

have never played at barona, so i can't comment on it, but viejas is pretty damn far out there if you're in carlsbad. about 75 miles from o'side / cbad. cash game action is good during tournaments, but has seemed pretty rocky the times i have been there when there wasn't a big tourney.

2/3NL with $300 max sounds perfect. Thanks.

I'll look into Harrah's.

Are any of these places 18+ and not 21+?

Google Indian casinos. I'm not sure which one off the top of my head but they have listings and ages but generally its 21.

They are all 18+ except for Oceans 11.
If your staying in Carlsbad, Oceans is your best bet by far. They always have good games going at all hrs, and I would say that the 2/2 $100 game sometime will have better action than the 1/3 $300 game.

I would suggest to play at Viejas over barona and sycuan, as it is the only casino with alcohol and their tourneys are the best out of the 3 imo. Viejas has alos had the 2/5 $1000 game going ( and pretty deep) the last few time i have been there, weekend and weekdays.

while Barona may be closer distance wise, Ocean's and Viejas are your closest and easiest to get to based on freeway access. both are right off the freeway. Barona requires a bit of a mountain drive which is scenic, but kind of slow. it's a bit off the beaten path.

If you're staying downtown, they'll all be roughly about as far away as one another though.

I've never been but there are a couple of card rooms in El Cajon (Palomar Club and Lucky Lady) that are much closer but also potentially much shadier...........

Michael

Sounds like a cool idea. I'm new to the area and It'd be fun to check out a few of the rooms nearby.

Agree with most posters. Oceans is a nice basic card room, nothing fancy but good poker, cheap really good food, usually good dealers and good floor. The 2/2 game is usually a nice action game, and the 50BB really isn't so bad as I usually find myself deep in the first couple of hours. The 2/3 game is a nice comfy game as well, better talent but plenty of action you just have to find the right table.

Im there most weekends....mmmmmm...get the Terki Top Sirloin if you go....6 bucks and a great cut..

I'm so mad I'm not 21 right now

Is there alcohol at Oceans 11?

Definitely will be at Oceans 11 Saturday, March 21, and possibly Sunday daytime.

Might hit Viejas or Barona Monday or Tuesday during the day -- have other plans in the evenings. Thanks for the replies! Didn't mean to hijack, but at least it's on-topic

yes

Alcohol yes, but sadly, it's not as cheap as their food. Good service though.
Have fun on the 21st, Ill be in Vegas that weekend picking on the weak tight locals they hate me

Barona is nicest, oceans has good games, viejas is a dump.

in rankings, I'd rank Viejas far higher than Ocean's. I personally think Ocean's is a pit. but, the people are nice and the food is good and inexpensive.

There are nicer rooms, without a doubt. I like the action, food & crew at Oceans, especially at the lower limits. Wouldn't want to play the 5-5 game they have there, but the 2-2 and 2-3 games are very nice. I don't like the action I've seen at Pechanga, Barona, or Viejas and the floor at Pechanga is one of the worst I've ever seen.

To each his own, would rather not have a 2+2er at my table anyway

Anyone want to make a trip one afternoon/evening during next week to Barona's to play?? It would be a fun get together I think.

TOURNEYS PEOPLE!

Is there anyone who has an equal passion for donkaments AND the SoCal SSNL ring games?

See you guys at Harrah's Circuit Events. Playing Event #2 $430 NLHE, and if I get knocked out early I'll go play the $230 NLHE 6-max that starts 4 hours after.

OP, where do you go to school at? I'll be at barona possibly friday afternoon and saturday for sure. How often do you play there? I usually play the 1/3, 2/5 sometimes if the games good. The 2/5 there sucks sometimes tho cause its 7 or 8 of the same people every time that rarely put in a bad chip

The 5/5 at O11 is at least as juicy as the 2/3. Just avoid it when the 10/10 isn't going (unless it has just busted late night).

Pechanga has the best donkaments in the area imho, pretty easy to run deep...

Cheers